Boxer Egan to speak of his drink and porn fight

Friday, December 14, 2012

By Eoin English

Olympic boxing hero Kenny Egan will speak openly at a workshop in Cork today about his recovery from addiction to porn, booze, and escort girls.

Egan, who hit rock bottom after captaining the Irish boxing squad at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, will address an addiction forum organised by the Cork-based Traveller Visibility Group’s (TVG) support project on drugs and alcohol.

He will be accompanied by his mother, Maura, who helped him on his road to recovery.

Egan’s life spiralled out of control after he won silver at the 2008 Olympics.

In his new autobiography, Kenny Egan — My Story, he reveals how he hired prostitutes while representing Ireland at the World Championships.

He describes how while at his lowest, he slept rough during benders and regularly got so drunk he wet himself.

And he was disowned by his family for leaving the country while his dad underwent life-saving surgery.

However, thanks to his mother, he has turned his life around.

Ann Jordan, a community drugs worker with TVG’s Traveller support project on drugs and alcohol, said research has shown the influential role of the mother, particularly in relation to addiction and recovery.

“Both Kenny and his mother will put a human and public face on the fight against addiction,” she said.

“Through open discussion of addiction and recovery, their contribution is invaluable to members of the Traveller community, who may be reluctant to access support services for fear of double stigma of addiction and discrimination based on coming from an ethnic minority group.”

Addiction is one of the most significant challenges facing communities in Ireland today, she said.

“While addiction affects all sectors of society, research shows that the social exclusion experienced by marginalised groups such as the Traveller community, puts disadvantaged communities at particular risk for problem drug and alcohol use. The TVG drug and alcohol support project is working with Travellers in Cork to support their determination to tackle the problem of addiction as it affects their community.”

The forum will also hear the recovery stories of Thomas Joyce and Priscilla Sweeney, peer support workers with the Pavee Point Centre in Dublin.

Egan will also make a special presentation to Olympic hopeful Oliver McCarthy.

The 16-year-old member of Brian Dillon’s Boxing Club in Cork is in training in the hope of being selected to box for Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. TVG has been fundraising to help him and his parents travel to Dublin every weekend for training.

Ms Jordan said Oliver was an outstanding role model for young Travellers.

“His success encourages young Travellers to participate in sport and a healthy lifestyle, and is hugely motivating to those already involved in boxing and fitness,” she said.